Direct-draft mechanism for road graders



April 28, 1925.

F. E. ARNDT DIRECT DRAFT MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Filed March 18 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 k e ll. ig/W Patented Apr, 28, 191 f,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDT, 0F GALION, OHIO, ASSIGNOR '10 THE GALIDN IRON & MFG. (30., OF GALION, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DIRECT-DRAFT MEGHANISIVZ FOR ROAD G-RADERS.

Application filed March 18, 1524. Serial N'o. 700,120.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN E. Armor, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galion, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Direct-Draft Mechanism for Road Graders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto road graders, and

particularly to the connection between the. draft tongue of the grader, the main frame and the draw bar. i r

In heavy duty road graders to which my invention relates, there is a main frame which is supported at its forward end upon a bolster oscillatably engaging the front axle and at its rear end upon rear wheels, and there is a'scraper or mold board which .is connected to the tongue and front axle by means of draw bars and a clevis, this mold board and the draw bars being entirely free from connection with the main frame. In this type of grader diiiiculty has been found in connecting the main frame and the draw bars to the tongue, for the reason that the draft of the tongue upon the king pin which connects the front axle bolster to the main frame and draft bars has tended to bend the pin, the strain not being evenly appliedto the pin. in constructions of this character, the greatest resistance to the forward movement ofthe grader is due to the draw bars which support the mold board. Almost all of the strain of work, therefore, comes upon these draw bars, and it is the main design of this present invention to pro vide a construction wvherein this strain which comes upon the mold board and draw bars shall be transmitted to thetongue in line therewith.

A further object is to provide a construction of this character wherein the draw bars are operatively connected to the tongue by a resilient yielding connection which takes all shocks and jars.

A. still further object is to provide'a con nection of the tongue to the king pin such that the tongue engages the 'king pm at two points above and below the point of engagement of the draw bars with the king pin.

Another object is to provide a construction of this character which is very solid,

' nated 11.

which may be readily repaired, and is yet of very simple construction.

Other objects will appear in the course of Figure 3 is a front elevation of the front axle, the tongue being in section;

Figure t IS a vertical sectional view through the spacing sleeve which embraces the king pin and through the bracket which connects the draw bar pin to the draw bars;

Figure his a section on the line 5--5 of Figure 4E;

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that I have illustrated the forward end of a conventional form of road grader, and that 10 designates the two main frame beams of the grader which are upwardly extended from their forward ends, then more or less horizontally extended, and then rearwardly depressed and engaged with the rear axle. Inasmuch as the rear axle construction and the general construction of the grader form no part of my invention, I have not illustrated any of these parts.

These frame beams at their forward ends are connected byinea11s of a transversely extending bolster, as it may be termed, desig- This is bolted, riveted or otherwise connected to the channel iron frame beams 10 and is depressed at the middle below these frame beams, the width of this depressed portion 12 of the bolster 11 being somewhat enlarged, as shown in Figure 1, and having a central aperture for the passage of the king pin 13. This king pin 13 extends through the bolster 14 which is attached by clamps 15 to the front axle 16.

The lower, end of this king pin is engaged in a socket 17 formed upon a T 18 which is fast upon the axle 16.

The aperture in thepart 12 of the bolster 11 through which the king pin passes, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, is much larger than the king pin 13, thus permitting the frame beams and the upper bolster 11 to float and flex at will, or in other words to rock from side to side when necessary to inf.

follow the irregularities of the frame or for the frame to pivot or rise relative to the bolster. The draft at the point where the king pin engages through the opening of the bolster 11 is only what is necessary to pull the frame formed of the members If) and is no greater than this. Of course, the rearward draft on the beams will act, if the draft is sutliciently great, to pull the bolster over against the upper end of the king pin but this draft is relatively light and the large opening in the bolster permits the bolster to rock both forwardly, rearwardly and laterally.

Surrounding the king pin 1? is a spacing sleeve 19, illustrated in detail in Figure this spacing sleeve at its ends fitting the king pin closely but the middle portion of the spacing sleeve being enlarged, at 20. The upper and lower ends of this sleeve 19 are reduced, as at21. The king pin 13 at its upper end is provided with a head or nut 22, through which passes a cotter pin or like element 23. The lower end of the king pin carries upon it a collar 2- which is disposed just beneath the arch or lower bolster 14.

Disposed between the upper and lower bolsters, that is between the depressed brace 11 and the arch or bolster 14, is the sleeve 19 previously stated, and disposed at the upper and lower ends of the sleeve are the upper and lower plates and 26 of atongue 27, these plates being spaced from each other by means of spacing sleeves 28 and corresponding rivets. The rear ends of these plates 25 and 26 are divergently inclined and then extend straight rearward and, as before stated, these plates have apertures receiving the reduced ends of the sleeve 19 so that the tongue rotates around these reduced ends 21, while the sleeve. keeps the rear ends of the tongue apart. The sleeve 21. is forn'ied intermediate its ends with two cylindrically extended integral eyes 29. Through these eyes 29 pass the two shanks or legs of a clevis 30., and the ends of the clevis are screw-threaded and carry nuts ill. Disposed between these nuts and the adjacent ends of the cylindrical eyes 29 are the coiled compression springs Thus while the clevis 30 may move rearward, it moves against the pressure of these springs 32 and thus is yieldingly supported in the positions shown in Figures 1 and 2. The clamps 15 are formed with yokes 33, through which convergent chains 34 extend forward to certain steering devices forming no part of the present invention.

The draft bars 35 are eonvergently disposed at their forward ends and connected to each other by means of. a transversely extending bracing plate 36 which is riveted to the flanges of the angular draft bars. This plate formed, as illustrated in Figures the forward end of the eye 37.

f and 5, with an integral, somewhat elongated eye 37, the axis of this eye being downwardly and forwardly inclined and the eye being connected to the plate 36 by integral webs 38. This eye is circular in form and adapted to pass through this eye is a draw bar pin 39. This pin has a shank which is cruciform in cross section, as illustrated in Figure 5, and at the forward end of the pin there is formed the eye 4:0. This eye is braced by longitudinally extending ribs ll which extend outward from the face of the eye in opposite directions, and these ribs and the material of the eye itself at the junction with the cruciform shank are formed to provide shoulders l2 which bear against The eye itself immediately around its central aperture is reinforced by a circular web 4:3 and the forward end of the eye is reinforced against the strain to which it is subjected by making it of increased thickness, as at a l. The rear end of the shank of the draw bar pin is transversely slotted, as at -15, and adapted to pass through this slot is the locking pin 46 held in place by cotter pins 47. This locking pin bears against a washer 48 which surrounds the cruciform shank of the draw bar pin.

It will be noted that the draft bars 35 or equivalent draft devices which connee with the mold board are connected to the clevis 30 by means of the pin so that the draw bars may have free movement up and down and laterally so as to permit the mold board to be adjusted by the usual circle and to permit the raising and lowering of the mold board. Very little strain comes upon the main beams 10 and there is but little tendency with this construction for the member 11 to break, as is the case where this member 11 has to bear not only the weight of the forward end of the main frame but also the strain upon the draw bars Furthermore it will be noted that the tongue, being formed of two plates or members 25 and 26 spaced from each other, engages with the king pin egui-distantly above and below the shackle or clevis 30 so that the pull of the tongue is evenly distributed upon the king pin. lfiurthermore, it will be seen that the pull on the'draft bars is distributed over a large portion of the king pin by reason of the clevis 30 being connected to the sleeve 19, which sleeve extends over nearly half of the king pin. Thus there is little tendency for the king pin to become bent or otherwise deformed by reason of the draft of the mold board and draft bars 35. The draw bar pin is of particularly strong construction, inasmuch as it is erneiform in cross section, and inasmuch as it is held in a relatively long eye 37 it fully supported against any bending strains. It may be readily detached, however, from the forward end of thedraft bars at any time by removing the pin 46.

While I have illustrated a certain specific construction which has been found to be particularly effective in practice because of its strength, rigidity and freedom from breakage, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction it is obvious that many changes might be made therein without de parting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim i 1. In a road grader, a main frame, a front axle, a tongueand a draw bar, means for supporting the front end of the main frame on the axle comprising a vertically disposed sleeve, a kingpin passing through the forward end of the main frame, through said sleeve and operatively engaging the axle at its lower end, means for engaging the tongue with oppositeends of the sleeve, and means for connecting the mold board draft device to the sleeve between the points of engagement of the tongue therewith.

2. In a road grader, a main frame, a front axle, a tongue and a draw bar, means for supporting the front end of the main frame on the axle comprisinga vertically disposed sleeve, aking pin passing through the forward end of the main frame, through said sleeve and operatively engaging the axle at its lower end, means for connecting the tongue to the king pin at opposite ends of the sleeve, means for connecting the mold board draft device to the sleeve between the points of engagement of the tongue therewith and including a U-shaped clevis passing through the sleeve on each side ofthe king pin and carrying nuts, and springs disposed between the nuts and the sleeve and urging the U- shaped clevis in a direction away from the draft device.

3. In a road grader, a main frame, a front axle, a bolster mounted upon the front axle, a king pin passing downward through the forward end of the main frame, through said bolster and having operative engagement at its lower end with the axle, asleevc mounted upon the king pin between the bolster and the main frame, a tongue having two vertically spaced members engaging the upper and lower ends of the sleeve, and a mold board draft device having operative engagement with said sleeve in a plane between the points of engagement of the tongue therewith.

t. In an apparatus of the character described, a main frame,afront axle having a bolster, a king pin passing downward through the main frame, through said bolster and having operative engagement with the front axle, a sleeve disposed between the main frame and the bolster and through which the king pin passes, and a tongue having at its rear end two vertically spaced members through which the king pin passes,

and through said bolster and having open,

ative engagement with the front axle, a sleeve dlsposed between the forward end of the main frame and the bolster and with which the tongue has operative engagement, and a mold board draft device operatively connected to said sleeve.

1 6. In a road grader, a main frame, a front axle, a bolster mounted upon the front axle, a king pin passing through the main frame and through said bolster and having operative engagement with the front axle, a sleeve disposed between the forward end of the main frame and the bolster and with which the tongue has operative engagement, a mold board draft device operatively connected to said-sleeve and comprising a U- shaped clevis passing through the sleeve and having nuts at its forward end, springs dis posed between said nuts and the sleeve and urging the clevis forward, and an eye at tached to the mold board draft dBVlCQ and through which the clevis passes, permitting free lateral and vertical swinging movement 7 of the mold board draft device.

7. In a road grader, amain frame, a front axle, a bolster mounted upon the front axle, a king pin passing downward through'the front endof the main frame, through said bolster and. having operative engagement with the front axle, a sleeve surrounding the king pin and rotatable with relation thereto, the sleeve being formed with two laterally disposed, substantially horizontal eyes, a tongue having two vertically spaced members at its rear end apertured for the passage of the king bolt and engaging respectively the upper and lower ends of the sleeve, a clevis passing through the eyes on the sleeve, and draw bars connected at their forward ends and carrying an eye through which said clevis passes.

8. In'a road grader, a main frame comprising two approximately parallel beams and a transversely extending brace connect ed to the forward ends of the beams and constituting a bolster, a front axle, a bolster mounted thereon, a king pin passing through said brace and through the bolster and having operative engagement with the axle, a sleeve surrounding the king pin and oscillating thereon, the upper and lowerends of the sleeve being reduced and the middle of the sleeve being provided with two substantially horizontally disposed eyes on each side of the sleeve, a tongue having two vertically spaced members at its rear end apertured for the passage of the king pin and the reduced ends of the sleeve and oscillating thereon, a U-shaped clevis having its legs passed through the eyes on the sleeve and carrying nuts at the ends of its legs, of springs disposed between said nuts and the proximate ends of the eyes, and draw bars connected at their forward ends and carrying an eye through which said U-shaped clevis passes.

9. In a road grader, a main frame including a pair of rearwardly extending beams and a brace connecting the forward ends of the beams and constituting a bolster, a front axle, a bolster mounted thereon, a king pin passing downward through the brace and through the bolster, the middle of the axle being provided with a member having a socket to receive the king pin, a tongue having at its rear end two vertically spaced parts apertured for the passage of the king pin, a sleeve disposed between the spaced parts of the tongue and through which the king pin passes, the sleeve being reduced at its upper end and the reduced portions having oseillative engagement with the two parts of the tongue, said sleeve being formed on each side with a horizontally disposed eye, a U-shaped clevis passing through said eyes and carrying nuts at the forward ends of its legs, springs disposed between the nuts and the eyes, mold board draw bars disposed rearward of the elevis, a bracket con necting the forward ends of the draw bars and having a downwardly and forwardly extending eye, a draw bar pin having a head and a shank, the shank passing through the eye and being detachably engaged therewith and the head having an aperture through which the clevis passes.

10. In a road grader, a main frame including a pair of rearwa'rdly extending beams and a brace connecting the forward ends of the beams and constituting a bolster, a front axle, a bolster mounted thereon, a king pin passing downward through the brace and through the bolster, the middle of the axle being provided with a member having a socket to receive the king pin, a tongue having at its rear end two vertically spaced parts apertured for the passage of the. king pin, a sleeve disposed between the spaced parts of the tongue and through which the king pin passes, the sleeve being reduced at its upper end and the reduced portions having oscillative engagement with the two parts of the tongue, said sleeve being formed on each side with a horizontally disposed eye, a Ushaped clevis passing through said eyes and carrying nuts at the forward ends of its legs, springs disposed between the nuts and the eyes, mold board draw bars disposed rearward of the elevis, a bracket connecting the forward ends of the draw bars and having a downwardly and forwardly extending eye, and a draw bar pin having a head and shank, the shank being cruciform in cross section and pass ing through said eye, and detachable means for holding the pin in the eye, the head of the pin being formed with an eye through which the clevis passes.

11. In a road grader, a main frame including a pair of rearwardly extending beams and a brace connecting the forward ends of the beams and constituting a bolster, a front axle, a bolster mounted thereon, a king pin passing downward through the brace and through the bolster, the middle of the axle being provided with a member having asocket to receive the king pin, a tongue having at its rear end two vertically spaced parts apertured for the passage of the king pin, a sleeve disposed between the spaced parts of the tongue and through which the king pin passes, the sleeve being reduced at its upper end and the reduced portions having oscillative engagement with the two parts of the tongue, said sleeve being formed on each side with a horizontally disposed eye, a U-shaped c-levis passing through said eyes and carrying nuts at the forward ends of its legs, springs disposed between the nuts and the eyes, mold board draw bars disposed rearward of the elevis, a bracket connecting the forward ends of the draw bars and having a downwardly and forwardly extending eye, a draw bar pinhaving a head and shank, the shank being cruciform in cross section and passing through said eye, and apin passing transversely through the shank and operatively engaging the rear end of the eye to thereby lock the draw bar pin in place within the eye, the head ha 'ing an eye through which the clevis passes.

12. In a road grader, amain frame including a pair of rearwardly extending beams and a brace connecting the forward ends of the beams and constitutingabolster, a front axle, a bolster mounted thereon, a king pin passing downward through the brace and through the bolster, the middle of being Drovided with a member having a socket to receive the king pin, atongue having at its rear end two vertically spaced parts apertured for the )assage of the king pin, a sleeve disposed between the spaced parts of the tongue and through which the king pin passes, the sleeve being red-need at its upper end and the reduced portions having oscillative engagement with the two parts of the tongue, said sleeve being formed on each side with a horizontally disposed. eye, a U-shaped clevis passing through said eyes and carrying nuts at the forward end of its legs, springs disposed between the nuts and the eyes, mold board draw bars disposed rearward of the elevis, a bracket connecting the forward ends of the draw bars and having a downwardly and forwardly extending eye, a draw bar pin having a head and shank, the shank being cruciform in cross section and having a transverse aperture and there being a shoulder between the head and the shank and adapted to bear against the forward end of the eye, a washer "through the forward end of the main frame and engaging said axle, a tongue operatlvely engaged with the king pin, and means connectingthe draft bars to the king pin at a point directly behind and in line with the tongue.

14.1111 a road grader, a main frame, a front axle, a tongue, an arclrshaped bolster having atits extremities clamps engaging with the axle, a king pin passing through the forward end of the main frame and through said bolster, a sleeve surrounding the king pin and disposed between the bolster and the forward end of the main frame, and a tongue, through the rear end of which the king pinpasses.

15. In a road grader, a main frame, a front axle, a tongue, an arch-shaped bolster having at its extremities clamps engaging with the axle, a king pin passing through the forward end of the main frame and through said bolster, a sleeve surrounding the king pin and disposed between the bolster and the forward end of the main frame, and a tongue having vertically spaced members atits rear end apertured for engage ment with the upper and lower end of said sleeve.

16. In a road grader, means for connecting the forward end of the mold board draft bars to the forward axle including a member mounted upon the forward end of the draft bars and having a downwardly and forwardly inclined elongated eye, a draw bar )in having a shank and a head, the shank being insertable through said eye and detachably engaged therewith, the head being provided with an eye.

17. In a road grader, meansfor connecting the mold board draft bars to the for ward axle including a U-shaped clevis, and a draw bar pin having a shank, and an apertured head through which the U-shaped clevis passes, the draw bar pin being detachably engaged with the'mold hoard draft bars.

18. In a road grader, means for connecting the forward end of the mold board draft bars to the forward axle including a me1n-- ber attached to the draft bars and having a downwardly and forwardly inclined elon- FRANKLIN E. ARNDT.

gated eye, a draw bar pin having a shank' 

